I'll Back You Up
Category: Everyone
Rating: P.G. 13
Author's Note: I started this a very long time ago and what I've posted is what I have but I have a clear ending thought out in my head so if there is enough interest I will continue so, yanno, fell free to reply if you're enjoying what you're reading.
Disclaimer: The characters in this story are not my own, they are borrowed from the creators of Higher Ground. The plot, and some of the character history on the other hand, are a part of my creation, and the character of Tess Becker is all mine. I also in no shape or form can take credit for the wonderful quotes, which have provided me with inspiration for my words, however, my choice in words is completely original. Please bear with me for I have aged the characters just a bit so that they are eighteen instead of sixteen as the show has them appear to be. I've also created/recreated some history so that it fits my liking a little more. This story takes place only a few short months after the season (series) finale has ended. In other words I wrote this like a million years ago and am just now getting around to finishing it. Read, reply, enjoy... yanno all that good stuff. Now on with the story...
I'll Back You Up
Do what you will. Always walk where you like your steps. Do as you please I will back you up. Dave Matthews
Chapter One- Perfect
Right now she's perfect. And to her, maybe you're perfect too. And maybe you don't want to ruin that. Well I think that's a great philosophy... That way you go through your entire life, Without ever really knowing anybody. "Good Will Hunting"
"Hi..." Daisy said uncharacteristically sweetly as she walked slowly around the bench to take a seat next to Shelby.
"Hey," Shelby responded only half-acknowledging Daisy's presence.
"Still waiting for prince charming?" Daisy asked sarcastically. Shelby turned her head and rolled her eyes before returning her gaze back to daydreaming and the boring wooden fence just a few feet in front of them. "Just thought you'd like some company," Daisy added moving around in her spot to make herself a little more comfortable. Shelby nodded and for quiet a while, neither girl said anything to the other, they just waited silently, both staring out into the horizon.
"Happy Birthday Dais..." Shelby finally announced quietly, breaking the silence.
"Thanks Shell."
Shelby turned to Daisy and smiled.
"Feeling any different?" Shelby asked before staring off into space again.
"Nope." Daisy replied shaking her head. "Just another day..." Daisy added sighing. She hated her birthday; it always brought back so many bad memories, her father, the "incident" her mother's accident... all of these events had happened around the time of her birthday.
"He didn't say what time he was coming back?" Daisy asked turning to face Shelby, desperate to change the subject. Shelby shook her head. "I was just wondering if you wanted some company?" Daisy asked, trying to sound supportive.
"You're more then welcomed to stay," Shelby replied flatly.
"Actually," Daisy declared standing up, "I kinda have something I want to take care of. You gonna be okay out here alone?" Daisy asked again. Shelby turned to her.
"I'll be fine."
"I'll come back later... if you want?"
"Whatever," Shelby answered shrugging. Daisy nodded and then left, heading off towards the main trail, in search of some time alone. Some time to reflect, and some time to figure out a way to make a difference in the day she dreaded so often.
Shelby sat alone for a long time, just her, her thoughts, and her daydreams as she watched the time tick away.
We come to love Not by finding a perfect person, But by learning how To see an imperfect person, Perfectly. Unknown
Scott stopped in his tracks when he saw her. It had only been two weeks but it had seemed like an eternity. Over and over again, while he had been home, his mind flew back to a night when Shelby had told him about the way he made her feel, a way no one else could. And as he sat home without her, he realized that she had an affect on him too. Little things, the way she smelled, the twinkle in her eyes when she smiled at him, the feeling of her hair pressed to his cheek, that was what he missed the most. Now, seeing her again for the first time since his recent realization, he felt different, a good different, a feeling that he knew he wanted to share with her as soon as possible. Something beyond the love they had confessed to each other, more of a need, a want, to be with her, perhaps for the rest of his life.
It must have been fate that she would choose to turn around at the exact moment he smiled at the thought of her. When she saw him finally, the first time in two weeks, her heart melted. She fought every urge in her body to just run to him and kiss him, but that wasn't her, at least not the girl she was known to be. And even though he had seen her at her worst, there were still things about her that he wasn't aware of, things that, for the first time in a long time, she was willing to talk about, to even show him.
She turned further to face him, her body pressed up against the back of the bench as he walked briskly towards her. When he got to the bench he stopped, bent down and kissed her softly on the forehead, his favorite spot. Shelby felt a tingle run through her body. He was back, they were together, she had a reason to smile, and at least for now, everything was perfect.
Finding a reason to smile had always been hard, but when he was gone it had been harder. Daisy had told her, once in the two weeks prior, that she was stepping on Daisy's "misery chick" turf. Shelby brushed it off as a joke but the truth was when he wasn't around, she felt the need to be bitter towards everyone, particularly Juliette. Not that Juliette really deserved it, maybe once or twice, but that was long ago. As hard as Shelby tried she just couldn't stand to be nice to the girl. Maybe she was an easy target or maybe it was just the reality that Shelby saw more then some of herself in Juliette. Perhaps, had she been on the outside, Shelby wouldn't have liked herself either. But someone liked her. He liked her, and the way she felt when he was around, it was worth hating everyone for the rest of her life, anything to be near him again. No one had had this kind of power over her before, it was strange, But not in a bad way.
When Scott did finally pull back to see her smiling his heart skipped a beat.
"Hi." Shelby beamed softly as he rounded the bench to sit next to her.
"Hey," Scott replied smiling back. "Yanno, I've been looking for you for an hour. Then I ran into Daisy and she said she was sitting with you here and then I realized... this is where I should have come from the start..."
"Our bench," Shelby said nodding.
"And our fence," Scott added pointing to the right of them. Their first "official" kiss had been by the side of the infamous Horizon fence and their "break-up" when he almost left Horizon for good, occurred on the exact bench where they now sat.
"How was home?" Shelby asked snuggling up to him and resting her head on his shoulder. Scott sighed, he didn't exactly know how he was going to answer this one. He took a deep breath and opted for the honest to god truth.
"I moved out."
"What?" Shelby asked as she sat up and stared at him in shock.
"I packed up everything that meant anything to me and that was it. I'm not going back. I'm eighteen now, I can do whatever I want. Right now I want to be here but when I'm ready to leave I'm definitely not going to go back to that house."
"What happened?"
"We got into a fight again. I just don't understand how my father could want me back so bad, say that he KNOWS me, and then start making accusations over, and over again. He still doesn't believe me yanno?"
"But I thought..."
"No, it was all a lie, ever since I came back the night of the MORP. I didn't tell you because... well I didn't want you to worry I guess."
Shelby looked up at him in half amazement, half disappointment.
"I came back because I love you and that's all that I wanted it to be about," Scott added then turned away. "I didn't want to bring up my father. When he came up and said he wanted to try to work things out, take me home for at least a few weeks, I thought he was finally okay," Scott turned back to Shelby with a glimmer of a tear in his eyes. "I should have known."
"What are you going to do now?" Shelby asked sympathetically.
"Well he says he'll still pay for Horizon... he still wants me to get better yanno? He thinks that me moving out isn't really what it is. He thinks that I'll come back, that I just need time. He thinks that somehow, while I'm here, something or someone will convince me that I need him," Scott closed his eyes. "I don't need him Shelby, I don't, I just... look can we not talk about this? The whole time I was home I couldn't wait to be back with you again and here I am loading all of my bullshit out on you... you shouldn't have to deal with this stuff."
"But I want to."
"Why?"
"Because it's a part of you and if it's a part of you, then I want it to be a part of me too. Plus, you need to talk to someone, to vent, and that someone should be me," Shelby paused. "I guess what I am trying to say is that I want it to be me... you know that right?"
"Of course."
"Good."
"So..." Scott said smiling and abruptly changing the subject. "Did you miss me?"
Shelby's face lit up.
"Do you even have to ask?"
"I was so miserable at home," Scott sighed as he wrapped his arms around her. "I hated it. My father... all we did was fight... I spent every night thinking about you. But enough about that, what did you do while I was gone?"
"I moped," Shelby replied laughing a little. "And I was mean to Juliette, nothing unusual really," she added trying to brush it off.
Scott laughed.
"We really have to work on that Juliette thing yanno?"
"Why?"
"Because she's my friend."
"Still not over your first Horizon flame?" Shelby sighed with a hint of jealousy.
"That's not true Shelby and you know it."
"And how do I know?"
"Because... well because I wouldn't go up to her and do this..." Scott leaned over and planted a long, hard kiss on Shelby's lips. Shelby pulled back smiling.
"Ok, you've convinced me," Shelby added giggling. Scott just continued to stare her down, smiling.
"What?" Shelby asked shrugging as she squinted her eyes at Scott quizzically.
"You're beautiful."
"Scott!"
"No I'm serious."
"Stop it."
"Come on Shelby, you are."
Shelby turned away and Scott continued.
"I know there are times when you don't feel beautiful but to me you're perfect. And I know what you're gonna say, you're gonna tell me what happened to you in the past ruined you and took away your beauty but that's not true. You're beautiful to me, and that's all that matters."
Shelby turned back to him with tears glistening in her eyes.
"Thank you," She whispered reaching up to place her hand on the side of his cheek. "You are my perfect," she added before kissing him softly on the lips. The kiss grew deeper and was interrupted all too soon by the sound of a female clearing her throat.
"We're gonna be late for dinner," Daisy announced as soon as Shelby's lips left Scott's. The Cliffhangers had all been eating dinner together at a specific time regularly ever since the week after the morp. For some certain reason no one could quite explain, that night was magical for all of them. Shelby looked over at Daisy and rolled her eyes.
"Thanks mom," Shelby moaned.
"Don't mention it," Daisy added giggling. For some reason seeing the two of them so in love made her soft.
"She's right yanno?" Scott said standing up and extending his hand to Shelby.
"Yeah I know." Shelby replied sighing as she stood up with him.
"Come on," he said taking her hand. "Let's go."
Do not wish To be anything but Who you are, And try to be that Perfectly. St. Francis DeSales
"Well hello there gorgeous!" Ezra beamed at Juliette as he sat to join her at their table for dinner.
"Hey Ezra!" Juliette beamed back in her usually perky manner. "Where's everyone else?" she asked looking around.
"Well Auggie's in line over there," he said pointing to his right. "And as for Daisy and the two love birds I have no idea."
"That's right, Scott comes back today."
Ezra nodded.
"So what did ya do special for Daisy's birthday?" she asked leaning in towards Ezra and speaking in hushed tones.
"Who said I did anything special at all?" Ezra said trying not to look suspicious.
"Oh come on, you're not fooling me!" Juliette giggled, leaning closer.
"Alright, alright, you've caught me," Ezra laughed adding to Juliette's giggles. "Tonight, I plan on whisking her away to the top of the mountain, with permission from Peter of course, to build a fire and watch shooting stars."
"Oh how romantic!" Juliette gushed.
"Yeah, if only Daisy felt that way too," Ezra added sighing.
"Oh come on, don't tell me you've give up on her already?"
"I'm pretty close."
"OH you can't be! Come on, maybe you've just got to try a little harder."
"Jules, I've been trying for almost a year now."
"Maybe she just needs some time."
"A YEAR!"
"Alright, alright, I get your point just... I think deep down inside she feels the same way you do, she's just scared of losing you as a friend that's all."
"She's not gonna lose me."
"I know but that's not how she sees it."
"I know."
"How?"
"Because she's told me."
"What do you mean she's told you?"
"Well, not in so many words but, it's pretty obvious that all she wants is friendship, I mean we've discussed our pasts, that both of us are doomed and she doesn't want to deal with another tortured soul when she has her own to deal with. That's why we must remain just friends."
"It's not that friendship is all that she wants, it's that that's all she knows. Just prove to her that you can be her friend and love her in a completely non-platonic way at the same time. She's gotta believe someday that two tortured souls like you guys can help each other. She's gotta know by now how much you just completely adore her. Please just come out and tell her straight forward... for me," Juliette added smiling innocently.
"I will... if you promise to do something for me."
"Anything."
"Finish your dinner tonight."
"Ezra!"
"I mean it. Come on now, you're getting all bony again."
"Auggie said the same thing to me at Lunch."
"See I'm not the only one.
"Alright! I'll try."
"That's all I ask."
"So did we miss the party?" Daisy asked abruptly interrupting Ezra and Juliette and she, Auggie, Scott, and Shelby joined the table.
"It's just getting started." Ezra replied smiling as he spotted Peter in the corner of his eye.
"Would some get the lights?" Peter shouted amongst the crowd as he swiftly walked towards Daisy, cake in hand. The lights went out and soon Daisy's face lit up, literally, as she sat staring at a cake full of candles. "On three. One, two, three."
The whole crowd started singing.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Daisy, happy birthday to you."
Daisy looked up at Peter then around at the rest of the crew and rolled her eyes before blowing out the candles.
"Happy birthday to me..." She whispered reluctantly before sinking slowly into her chair wishing the day had never come.
Category: Everyone
Rating: P.G. 13
Author's Note: I started this a very long time ago and what I've posted is what I have but I have a clear ending thought out in my head so if there is enough interest I will continue so, yanno, fell free to reply if you're enjoying what you're reading.
Disclaimer: The characters in this story are not my own, they are borrowed from the creators of Higher Ground. The plot, and some of the character history on the other hand, are a part of my creation, and the character of Tess Becker is all mine. I also in no shape or form can take credit for the wonderful quotes, which have provided me with inspiration for my words, however, my choice in words is completely original. Please bear with me for I have aged the characters just a bit so that they are eighteen instead of sixteen as the show has them appear to be. I've also created/recreated some history so that it fits my liking a little more. This story takes place only a few short months after the season (series) finale has ended. In other words I wrote this like a million years ago and am just now getting around to finishing it. Read, reply, enjoy... yanno all that good stuff. Now on with the story...
I'll Back You Up
Do what you will. Always walk where you like your steps. Do as you please I will back you up. Dave Matthews
Chapter One- Perfect
Right now she's perfect. And to her, maybe you're perfect too. And maybe you don't want to ruin that. Well I think that's a great philosophy... That way you go through your entire life, Without ever really knowing anybody. "Good Will Hunting"
"Hi..." Daisy said uncharacteristically sweetly as she walked slowly around the bench to take a seat next to Shelby.
"Hey," Shelby responded only half-acknowledging Daisy's presence.
"Still waiting for prince charming?" Daisy asked sarcastically. Shelby turned her head and rolled her eyes before returning her gaze back to daydreaming and the boring wooden fence just a few feet in front of them. "Just thought you'd like some company," Daisy added moving around in her spot to make herself a little more comfortable. Shelby nodded and for quiet a while, neither girl said anything to the other, they just waited silently, both staring out into the horizon.
"Happy Birthday Dais..." Shelby finally announced quietly, breaking the silence.
"Thanks Shell."
Shelby turned to Daisy and smiled.
"Feeling any different?" Shelby asked before staring off into space again.
"Nope." Daisy replied shaking her head. "Just another day..." Daisy added sighing. She hated her birthday; it always brought back so many bad memories, her father, the "incident" her mother's accident... all of these events had happened around the time of her birthday.
"He didn't say what time he was coming back?" Daisy asked turning to face Shelby, desperate to change the subject. Shelby shook her head. "I was just wondering if you wanted some company?" Daisy asked, trying to sound supportive.
"You're more then welcomed to stay," Shelby replied flatly.
"Actually," Daisy declared standing up, "I kinda have something I want to take care of. You gonna be okay out here alone?" Daisy asked again. Shelby turned to her.
"I'll be fine."
"I'll come back later... if you want?"
"Whatever," Shelby answered shrugging. Daisy nodded and then left, heading off towards the main trail, in search of some time alone. Some time to reflect, and some time to figure out a way to make a difference in the day she dreaded so often.
Shelby sat alone for a long time, just her, her thoughts, and her daydreams as she watched the time tick away.
We come to love Not by finding a perfect person, But by learning how To see an imperfect person, Perfectly. Unknown
Scott stopped in his tracks when he saw her. It had only been two weeks but it had seemed like an eternity. Over and over again, while he had been home, his mind flew back to a night when Shelby had told him about the way he made her feel, a way no one else could. And as he sat home without her, he realized that she had an affect on him too. Little things, the way she smelled, the twinkle in her eyes when she smiled at him, the feeling of her hair pressed to his cheek, that was what he missed the most. Now, seeing her again for the first time since his recent realization, he felt different, a good different, a feeling that he knew he wanted to share with her as soon as possible. Something beyond the love they had confessed to each other, more of a need, a want, to be with her, perhaps for the rest of his life.
It must have been fate that she would choose to turn around at the exact moment he smiled at the thought of her. When she saw him finally, the first time in two weeks, her heart melted. She fought every urge in her body to just run to him and kiss him, but that wasn't her, at least not the girl she was known to be. And even though he had seen her at her worst, there were still things about her that he wasn't aware of, things that, for the first time in a long time, she was willing to talk about, to even show him.
She turned further to face him, her body pressed up against the back of the bench as he walked briskly towards her. When he got to the bench he stopped, bent down and kissed her softly on the forehead, his favorite spot. Shelby felt a tingle run through her body. He was back, they were together, she had a reason to smile, and at least for now, everything was perfect.
Finding a reason to smile had always been hard, but when he was gone it had been harder. Daisy had told her, once in the two weeks prior, that she was stepping on Daisy's "misery chick" turf. Shelby brushed it off as a joke but the truth was when he wasn't around, she felt the need to be bitter towards everyone, particularly Juliette. Not that Juliette really deserved it, maybe once or twice, but that was long ago. As hard as Shelby tried she just couldn't stand to be nice to the girl. Maybe she was an easy target or maybe it was just the reality that Shelby saw more then some of herself in Juliette. Perhaps, had she been on the outside, Shelby wouldn't have liked herself either. But someone liked her. He liked her, and the way she felt when he was around, it was worth hating everyone for the rest of her life, anything to be near him again. No one had had this kind of power over her before, it was strange, But not in a bad way.
When Scott did finally pull back to see her smiling his heart skipped a beat.
"Hi." Shelby beamed softly as he rounded the bench to sit next to her.
"Hey," Scott replied smiling back. "Yanno, I've been looking for you for an hour. Then I ran into Daisy and she said she was sitting with you here and then I realized... this is where I should have come from the start..."
"Our bench," Shelby said nodding.
"And our fence," Scott added pointing to the right of them. Their first "official" kiss had been by the side of the infamous Horizon fence and their "break-up" when he almost left Horizon for good, occurred on the exact bench where they now sat.
"How was home?" Shelby asked snuggling up to him and resting her head on his shoulder. Scott sighed, he didn't exactly know how he was going to answer this one. He took a deep breath and opted for the honest to god truth.
"I moved out."
"What?" Shelby asked as she sat up and stared at him in shock.
"I packed up everything that meant anything to me and that was it. I'm not going back. I'm eighteen now, I can do whatever I want. Right now I want to be here but when I'm ready to leave I'm definitely not going to go back to that house."
"What happened?"
"We got into a fight again. I just don't understand how my father could want me back so bad, say that he KNOWS me, and then start making accusations over, and over again. He still doesn't believe me yanno?"
"But I thought..."
"No, it was all a lie, ever since I came back the night of the MORP. I didn't tell you because... well I didn't want you to worry I guess."
Shelby looked up at him in half amazement, half disappointment.
"I came back because I love you and that's all that I wanted it to be about," Scott added then turned away. "I didn't want to bring up my father. When he came up and said he wanted to try to work things out, take me home for at least a few weeks, I thought he was finally okay," Scott turned back to Shelby with a glimmer of a tear in his eyes. "I should have known."
"What are you going to do now?" Shelby asked sympathetically.
"Well he says he'll still pay for Horizon... he still wants me to get better yanno? He thinks that me moving out isn't really what it is. He thinks that I'll come back, that I just need time. He thinks that somehow, while I'm here, something or someone will convince me that I need him," Scott closed his eyes. "I don't need him Shelby, I don't, I just... look can we not talk about this? The whole time I was home I couldn't wait to be back with you again and here I am loading all of my bullshit out on you... you shouldn't have to deal with this stuff."
"But I want to."
"Why?"
"Because it's a part of you and if it's a part of you, then I want it to be a part of me too. Plus, you need to talk to someone, to vent, and that someone should be me," Shelby paused. "I guess what I am trying to say is that I want it to be me... you know that right?"
"Of course."
"Good."
"So..." Scott said smiling and abruptly changing the subject. "Did you miss me?"
Shelby's face lit up.
"Do you even have to ask?"
"I was so miserable at home," Scott sighed as he wrapped his arms around her. "I hated it. My father... all we did was fight... I spent every night thinking about you. But enough about that, what did you do while I was gone?"
"I moped," Shelby replied laughing a little. "And I was mean to Juliette, nothing unusual really," she added trying to brush it off.
Scott laughed.
"We really have to work on that Juliette thing yanno?"
"Why?"
"Because she's my friend."
"Still not over your first Horizon flame?" Shelby sighed with a hint of jealousy.
"That's not true Shelby and you know it."
"And how do I know?"
"Because... well because I wouldn't go up to her and do this..." Scott leaned over and planted a long, hard kiss on Shelby's lips. Shelby pulled back smiling.
"Ok, you've convinced me," Shelby added giggling. Scott just continued to stare her down, smiling.
"What?" Shelby asked shrugging as she squinted her eyes at Scott quizzically.
"You're beautiful."
"Scott!"
"No I'm serious."
"Stop it."
"Come on Shelby, you are."
Shelby turned away and Scott continued.
"I know there are times when you don't feel beautiful but to me you're perfect. And I know what you're gonna say, you're gonna tell me what happened to you in the past ruined you and took away your beauty but that's not true. You're beautiful to me, and that's all that matters."
Shelby turned back to him with tears glistening in her eyes.
"Thank you," She whispered reaching up to place her hand on the side of his cheek. "You are my perfect," she added before kissing him softly on the lips. The kiss grew deeper and was interrupted all too soon by the sound of a female clearing her throat.
"We're gonna be late for dinner," Daisy announced as soon as Shelby's lips left Scott's. The Cliffhangers had all been eating dinner together at a specific time regularly ever since the week after the morp. For some certain reason no one could quite explain, that night was magical for all of them. Shelby looked over at Daisy and rolled her eyes.
"Thanks mom," Shelby moaned.
"Don't mention it," Daisy added giggling. For some reason seeing the two of them so in love made her soft.
"She's right yanno?" Scott said standing up and extending his hand to Shelby.
"Yeah I know." Shelby replied sighing as she stood up with him.
"Come on," he said taking her hand. "Let's go."
Do not wish To be anything but Who you are, And try to be that Perfectly. St. Francis DeSales
"Well hello there gorgeous!" Ezra beamed at Juliette as he sat to join her at their table for dinner.
"Hey Ezra!" Juliette beamed back in her usually perky manner. "Where's everyone else?" she asked looking around.
"Well Auggie's in line over there," he said pointing to his right. "And as for Daisy and the two love birds I have no idea."
"That's right, Scott comes back today."
Ezra nodded.
"So what did ya do special for Daisy's birthday?" she asked leaning in towards Ezra and speaking in hushed tones.
"Who said I did anything special at all?" Ezra said trying not to look suspicious.
"Oh come on, you're not fooling me!" Juliette giggled, leaning closer.
"Alright, alright, you've caught me," Ezra laughed adding to Juliette's giggles. "Tonight, I plan on whisking her away to the top of the mountain, with permission from Peter of course, to build a fire and watch shooting stars."
"Oh how romantic!" Juliette gushed.
"Yeah, if only Daisy felt that way too," Ezra added sighing.
"Oh come on, don't tell me you've give up on her already?"
"I'm pretty close."
"OH you can't be! Come on, maybe you've just got to try a little harder."
"Jules, I've been trying for almost a year now."
"Maybe she just needs some time."
"A YEAR!"
"Alright, alright, I get your point just... I think deep down inside she feels the same way you do, she's just scared of losing you as a friend that's all."
"She's not gonna lose me."
"I know but that's not how she sees it."
"I know."
"How?"
"Because she's told me."
"What do you mean she's told you?"
"Well, not in so many words but, it's pretty obvious that all she wants is friendship, I mean we've discussed our pasts, that both of us are doomed and she doesn't want to deal with another tortured soul when she has her own to deal with. That's why we must remain just friends."
"It's not that friendship is all that she wants, it's that that's all she knows. Just prove to her that you can be her friend and love her in a completely non-platonic way at the same time. She's gotta believe someday that two tortured souls like you guys can help each other. She's gotta know by now how much you just completely adore her. Please just come out and tell her straight forward... for me," Juliette added smiling innocently.
"I will... if you promise to do something for me."
"Anything."
"Finish your dinner tonight."
"Ezra!"
"I mean it. Come on now, you're getting all bony again."
"Auggie said the same thing to me at Lunch."
"See I'm not the only one.
"Alright! I'll try."
"That's all I ask."
"So did we miss the party?" Daisy asked abruptly interrupting Ezra and Juliette and she, Auggie, Scott, and Shelby joined the table.
"It's just getting started." Ezra replied smiling as he spotted Peter in the corner of his eye.
"Would some get the lights?" Peter shouted amongst the crowd as he swiftly walked towards Daisy, cake in hand. The lights went out and soon Daisy's face lit up, literally, as she sat staring at a cake full of candles. "On three. One, two, three."
The whole crowd started singing.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Daisy, happy birthday to you."
Daisy looked up at Peter then around at the rest of the crew and rolled her eyes before blowing out the candles.
"Happy birthday to me..." She whispered reluctantly before sinking slowly into her chair wishing the day had never come.